INDICES> Drug metabolism workshop for Africa

["Andrew Walubo" <waluboa@frm.uovs.ac.za>]

INDICES> Drug metabolism workshop for Africa
--------------------------------------------
[re-routed from E-drug; note this course doesn't start
today but next year! WB]

DRUG METABOLISM WORKSHOP FOR AFRICA,

3rd to 6th March 2001 at The President Hotel,  Bloemfontein, 
South Africa.

Theme: 'Ethnic differences in drug metabolism and response'

INVITATION

Dear contending participant, 

On behalf of the organising committee, it is my pleasure to invite 
you to participate in the first drug metabolism workshop for Africa 
to be held in Bloemfontein, South Africa from 3rd to 6th March 
2001, under the theme 'Ethnic differences in drug metabolism and 
response.'

The need to hold a drug metabolism workshop for Africa is a result 
of a fast growing knowledge on the characteristics of human drug 
metabolising enzymes. It is now accepted in principle that 
differences in genetic inheritance and environment precludes 
extrapolation of results of drug studies from non-Africans to 
Africans. At the same time, Africa now has a reputable scientific 
fraternity with facilities where pre-clinical and clinical drug 
metabolism studies can easily be adopted and run not only for drug 
development but also for testing genetic variability in drug 
metabolism among Africans.

Today, most national drug regulatory authorities require knowledge 
of the pattern of drug metabolism in a population before any drug 
can be approved for use in humans. In such countries, drug 
metabolism workshops and conferences have been used to 
improve awareness and recognition of the importance of drug 
metabolising enzymes in causing drug toxicity and chemical 
carcinogenesis. Unfortunately, until to today, Africa had no such 
organisation(s) and there had been no African laboratory or 
scientists dedicated to drug metabolism studies. The department 
of pharmacology at the University of the Free State 
has embarked on a project to upgrade existing scientific units in 
Africa into Drug Metabolism units capable of undertaking the 
necessary studies on drug metabolism and teaching of the 
subject. This is in line with the objectives of the Drug Metabolism 
section of the International Union of Pharmacology (IUPHAR) and 
the International Society for Study of Xenobiotics (ISSX).  We are 
blessed to host this drug metabolism workshop in order to 
introduce young African researchers to the study of drug 
metabolising enzymes as a tool for ensuring drug 
safety in humans. In the same perspective the workshop has a 
research capacity building component where participants are 
encouraged to present papers or posters. Should you wish to 
submit an abstract (s) for presentation, please contact the 
secretariat for further instructions.

The organising committee has assembled an outstanding 
programme, which features speakers who are internationally 
recognised experts and at the forefront of research in their 
respective topics. The topics covered will be of interest to 
practising physicians, nurses and pharmacists, but also to other 
scientists in academia, hospitals, industry, government and 
drug regulatory affairs. Regarding South African health 
professionals, the full programme has been accredited by the 
South African Health Professional Council (SAHPC) for 22 CPD 
points as part of the continual medical education activity.
        
Come and enjoy Bloemfontein, 'the city of Roses', and the gateway 
to the beautiful sites of Afrikanerdom.  We hope that this will be a 
memorable meeting and look forward to welcoming you to 
Bloemfontein.
 
Prof. Andrew Walubo
Chairman, organising committee


DRATF PROGRAMME

Medium of instruction: ENGLISH only

DAY 1: MONDAY 3rd MARCH 2001
Arrival of participants and invited speakers
11.00 - 17.00 Registration of participants
17.00 - 18.00 Inaugural lecture: 
DRUG SAFETY: ORIGIN, TODAY AND TOMORROW (Prof. PI 
Folb)
18.00 - 20.00 Welcome dinner

DAY 2: TUESDAY 4th MARCH 2001
8.00 - 9.00 Clinical pharmacokinetics: concepts (Prof. GT Tucker)
9.00 - 10.00 Physiological determinants of hepatic and renal 
clearance of drugs (Prof. A. Walubo)
10.00 - 10.15 Break
10.15 - 11.15 Assessment of bioavailability (Prof. DJ Birkett)
11.15 - 12.15 Physiological determinants of steady state kinetics       
                (Prof. Hawksworth)
12.15 - 13.00 Paper presentation/Posters
13.00 - 14.00 Lunch
14.00 - 16.00 Workshops on clinical pharmacokinetics
Group 1: Design and interpretation of bioavailability (Prof. DJ Birkett)
Group 2: Design of a drug interaction study  (Prof. GT Tucker)
Group 3: Effects of disease state/pharmacogenetics on drug      
        disposition. (Prof. Hawksworth)
16.00 - 16.15 Break
16.15 - 16.30 Report back on workshops
16.30 - 17.30 Paper presentation/Posters
18.00 - 20.00 Dinner (venue to be communicated)

DAY 3: WEDNESDAY 5th MARCH 2001
8.00 - 9.00 Molecular basis of drug oxidation and polymorphism  
             (Dr. F. Gonzalez )
9.00 - 10.00 Significance of multiple cytochrome-P450 isoenzymes 
               (Prof. GT Tucker)
10.00 - 10.15 Break
10.15 - 11.15 Clinical relevance of cytochrome-P450 genetic     
                 polymorphism (Prof. DJ Birkett)
11.15 - 12.30 Cytochrome-P450: multiplicity, regulation, and role in 
                 toxicology (Dr. F. Gonzalez)
12.30 - 13.00 Paper presentation/posters
13.00 - 14.00 Lunch
14.00 - 14.30 Introduction to cytochrome-P450 studies 
14.30 - 16.00 Workshops on cytochrome-P450 studies
        Group 1: Western blot (Prof. GT Tucker)
        Group 2: In vitro enzyme assay (Prof. Hawksworth)
        Group 3: Genotyping & phenotyping  (Dr. F. Gonzalez )
16.00 -16.15 Break
16.15 - 16.15 Report back on workshops
16.15 - 17.30 Paper presentation/posters
18.00 - 20.00 Dinner (venue to communicated)

DAY 4: THURSDAY 6th MARCH 2001
8.00 -  8.30 Appraisal on phase 2 drug metabolising enzymes     
              (Prof. Hawksworth)
8.30 - 9.30 Clinical importance of phase 2 drug metabolising    
             enzymes (Dr. F. Gonzalez)
9.30 - 9.45 Break
10.00 - 11.00 Clinical trial methodologies (Prof. O. Muller & Prof.     
                 Birkett)
11.00 - 11.30 Paper presentation/posters
11.30 - 12.30 Workshops on clinical trial design (Prof. O. Muller & 
                 Prof. Birkett)
12.30  - 14.00 Lunch
14.00 -  14.30 Report back on workshops
14.30 - 16.00 Feedback from delegates about the whole workshop
16.00 - 16.15 Break
16.15 -  17.00 Closing remarks
18.00   Farewell dinner (venue to be communicated)

2.      REGISTRATION INFORMATION 
* Registration fees: R 2500 before 30th August 2000. 
 There after R 3000.  
* Strictly, no registration after 31st December 2000.
* Registration fee includes all lunches, dinners and non-alcoholic 
refreshments from 4th to 6th 
March 2001, and dinner on 3rd March.

For further information on abstract submission, accommodation 
and registration form, contact the secreteriat: Dr. CO Larson, The 
secretary, Organising committee, Drug Metabolism-Africa, 
Department of Pharmacology, University of the Free State, P.O. 
Box 339 (G6), Bloemfontein 9300, South Africa. Tel (051) 401-
3093; Fax: (051) 444-1523 or e-mail: GNFMCOL@frm.uovs.ac.za
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